Theresa Yang and Jeffrey Chen met at a concert in downtown Los Angeles. “By the end of the first date I knew there was chemistry,” Jeffrey says. “She was really intelligent, and we just hit it off really well.”
Five years later, with the ring stashed in a backpack, Jeffrey had plans to propose on a romantic date at Disneyland, but it didn’t work out the way he’d planned. He tried popping the question a couple different times at the park, but it was so crowded that the moment was never quite right. They ended the night with their own happily ever after, though, when Jeffrey asked Theresa to marry him in the parking lot of the happiest place on earth.
“That explains why he was clutching the backpack so tightly all day!” Theresa says.
For their wedding, they wanted a fun location that would keep all of their guests entertained. Theresa’s dad is a big fan of Las Vegas, and specifically the ARIA Resort and Casino, so they chose its Primrose Ballroom for their ceremony and reception. “We wanted a place where people could go out and play a little, in one centralized location. There are so many hotel choices, and everyone loves Vegas,” Jeffrey says.
“FROM GETTING READY, TO THE FIRST LOOK... I WAS KIND OF STARSTRUCK THE WHOLE TIME.”
They held the ceremony on one of the Primrose Ballroom’s two verandas and the reception in the ballroom itself, which was completely transformed into a chic jungle paradise. (Or as Jeffrey describes it, “elegant, but in a savage setting.”) With the green drapery, abundance of lush plants, and greenery suspended over the dance floor, it reminded Theresa of the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz.
One of the key features of their tropical, outdoorsy vibe—the cut glass tables—almost didn’t happen though. The morning of the wedding, a car hit the truck transporting the tables to the venue, shattering all of the glass. But in a true Las Vegas miracle, another glass cutter was located and every table was in place by the time their guests sat down.
They didn’t sit down for long—the Georgia Bridgwater Orchestra got the crowd riled up and dancing all night. This was an extra challenge, Jeffrey says, because many of their guests flew in from outside the U.S. and didn’t understand the lyrics to the songs.
“They did a great job keeping the energy at a high level, even with the language barriers,” Jeffrey says. “Everyone had such a good time and everything came together so nicely,” Theresa says. “Everyone was out on the dance floor enjoying themselves.”
Besides the band, Theresa’s two wedding gowns were showstoppers. She wore a stunning Galia Lahav dress for the ceremony before changing into a custom Erin Cole gown for the reception. Theresa got to work one-on-one with Cole, an Orange County-based designer, to create the delicate, ethereal dress.
Theresa and Jeffrey stayed in Las Vegas for a few days following their wedding. During that time, they truly lived their best lives by eating cake. Lots of cake.
“We had individual cakes, and we had a lot of extra. We took all of the leftovers. We couldn’t eat them all, but we did our best,” Theresa says.
They haven’t yet taken their honeymoon, but they’re planning a fall cruise to Europe, where they’ll hit Venice, Greece, Barcelona and Ibiza. For now, the couple is still in awe of their wedding memories.
“I thought everything was a highlight! From getting ready, to the first look, to the photography, I was kind of star struck the whole time,” Jeffrey says.
WEDDING TALENT
Location and Cake: ARIA Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV; Planner and Event Design: Andrea Eppolito Events, Las Vegas, NV; Floral Design: Javier Valentino; Ceremony Dress: Ines Di Santo; Bridal Salon: Lovella Bridal, Glendale, CA; Reception Dress: Galia Lahav
